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Author Notes:Crazily crunchy, wham-bam spiced, fried shrimp, tucked into a crusty-outside-soft-inside French roll with shredded iceberg, heat-jolted slices of fresh tomato and a generous slathering of homemade tartar sauce with a devil of a fever. Oh baby!
—TheLastWonton

Food52 Review: This is a taste of New Orleans! After purchasing some wild American shrimp and stumbling upon this recipe, I knew I had to try it. Everything about this sandwich was delicious and the Tabasco-kissed tomatoes put it over the top. The spicy tartar sauce made a great foil for the crunchy shrimp. Thanks to TheLastWonton for submitting this gem! One tester note: this is sandwich is messy, in the best of ways. Feel free to experiment with soft rolls instead of crusty French ones. —jstew52

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Serves 4

Spicy Homemade Tartar Sauce

1
cup mayonnaise

5
tablespoons dill pickles. finely chopped

3
green onions, finely chopped

3
tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

2
tablespoons whole grain mustard

1
teaspoon fresh dill, chopped or 1/3 teaspoon dried dill

1
teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped or 1/3 teaspoon dried tarragon

1
teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1
teaspoon Sriracha or Tabasco (or 1/2 teaspoon for less spice)

1/2
teaspoon each sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Po' Boys

1 1/2
pounds large shrimp (16/20 count), peeled and deveined

1 1/4
cups flour

1
cup yellow cornmeal

1
tablespoon granulated garlic powder

1
tablespoon granulated onion powder

1
teaspoon sea, Kosher or other salt

1
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4
teaspoon cayenne

2
eggs

4
tablespoons milk

Peanut or vegetable oil for frying

4
crusty French or Italian rolls

Butter

3
cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce

2
firm, red, ripe tomatoes, sliced and splashed with a bit of Tabasco and a sprinkling of sea salt

For tartar sauce: Blend all ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, (but it's better for 4), so all the flavors have a chance to get to know one another, to seduce one another, to fall crazy in love.

Heat at least 1/4-inch oil in a large skillet or preheat deep fryer or oil in wok to approximately 360°F.

In a bowl, whisk flour, cornmeal, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and cayenne. In another small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.

Working with a few at a time, dredge the shrimp in the seasoned flour, then into the egg wash, then back into the seasoned flour, coating the shrimp completely. Fry the shrimp in batches until golden and crispy, about 2-4 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

Slice the French loaves or rolls in half and butter both cut sides. I quickly grilled my rolls in a non-stick skillet, but this extra step is optional. Slather both cut sides of bread or rolls with tartar sauce. Divide the shrimp evenly between the 4 sandwiches and top with the tomato slices and shredded lettuce. Press the sandwich together a bit and serve your 'c'est magnifique' shrimp po' boys with icy cold beer, Tabasco and a side of Zydeco, cher.

The tartar sauce is so amazing! Just the right amount of everything! And I love siracha. For the shrimp I just used margaritaville ragin' Cajun shrimp. Already spiced up! And works great for these. You could get about 2 sandwiches per box (depending on the roll)

Got some beautiful Gulf shrimp recently and made these for dinner. If football wasn't on, I think I would've gotten a standing ovation from my family. The tartar sauce seriously rocks. I buttered some Portuguese rolls, and broiled them for a minute. Definitely don't skip that step. Thanks for a fantastic recipe, TLW.

Thanks mrslarkin for your comments and for trying this one! So glad you and your family enjoyed the Po' Boys. They are rather yummy. :) We've become a tich addicted to this tartar sauce and seem to be able to find more and more reasons to make it. :) Cheers!